That Kobe Bryant is peerless when it comes to his on-court prowess is well documented. What’s not known is that he has an amazing sense of humour. And Pau Gasol is testimony to both these facts.
The Los Angeles Lakers were having one of their routine camps and Bryant was doing what he does best — pulling Gasol’s (long, very long) leg. By the end of that training session, Gasol had a new nickname — Pablo Escobar.
Confused?
Now Escobar was neither an NBA superstar nor a philanthropist. But yes, he was ‘great’ in his own right. The Colombian drug lord is often referred to as the ‘world’s greatest outlaw’ ever. And he’s probably the only ‘successful’ criminal to have had his name published in Forbes magazine’s rich list!
“Kobe is too funny, joking all the time. He gave me this nickname because Pau is derived from Pablo,” Gasol clarifies in a rendezvous with DNA.
The two-time NBA champion is in India as part of the Mahindra NBA Challenge and loves his new role. “This is my second day in Mumbai and India and it’s been great. It’s great to be an NBA ambassador.
It’s great to know that India has huge potential to become a basketball-playing nation. I visited the huge railway station (CST), the Gateway of India and the cathedral. And the Taj Mahal Hotel. It’s been wow.”
“Hanging Gardens,” yells out a member of this contingent. “Yeah, that one was good too,” Gasol acknowledges. Well, what he didn’t disclose is that he went to a party at a posh pub. So what? Even pubs and nightclubs are part of Mumbai’s ‘sightseeing’ tour.
Now Gasol is tall, really tall. Yes, that’s like stating the obvious but watching him on ESPN is one thing and shaking hands, straight on, something altogether different.
He’s taller than an average grown-up even when he’s seated on an easy chair in a plush hotel. But here’s the irony. ‘Pau’ means small and humble.
Humble he is, surely. And maybe small too, provided you compare him to an even-toed African giraffe.
The two-time NBA champ, who’s been playing in the league since 2001, says it’s only realistic to hope that an Indian will play alongside him in the near future.
“We are here to identify players with special skills, players who stand out, not necessarily tall. The Mahindra league will surely produce results and don’t be surprised if an Indian makes it big,” Gasol says.
Interestingly, Gasol is one of the very few power forwards standing at seven feet. This shows how skillful, fit, agile and reliable he is. Is this is an irony?
“Not really. It’s peculiar but not unnatural. I never played centre because I was skinny. In fact, I was a guard earlier in my career. I am happy playing power forward now.”
So how does he prefer to be remembered once he’s done playing ball. Gasol, again, is humble and honest. “I hope people talk of me as a special player, a talented player, a quality player.”
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